Gas saver for internal combustion engines



Filed Oct. 10, 1935 July 5, 1938.

INVENTOR. Huh EPC .J. Fm 5T2!" ATTORNEY.

' Patented July s, 1938 PATENT OFFICE GAS SAVER FOR- INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES Robert J. Foster, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor of one-third to Samuel G. Lipton-d and one-third to Joseph C. phia, Pa.

V. Connolly, both of Philadel- Appllcation October 10, 1935, Serial No. 44,419

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to internal combustion engines, and more particularly to means associated with the carburetor for increasing the efficiency of the explosive charge delivered to the engine cylinders.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a fuel saving attachment for internal combustion engines, embodying means for introducing a forced supply of fresh air into the air intake of the carburetor, and also an auxiliary supply of moist air into the intake pipelof the intake manifold for mixing with the fuel mixture.

A further object resides in the novel construction and. arrangement of the air mixer for causing thorough mixing of the cold and warm air being delivered into the air intake for mixing with other air delivered from an air cleaner.

A furtherobject is to provide apparatus of this character wherein the pressure of the forced air supply will be dependent upon the speed of the engine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is of simple construction and may readily be applied to various types of internal combustion engines;

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description, taken in connection from the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification and in which drawing:-

, Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of an internal combustion engine showing the device applied thereto.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view somewhat diagrammatic and showing portions in section to better illustrate direction of air travel.

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse section on line 3q-3 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawing in detail and wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts thruout the several views, the letter A designates an internal combustion engine of the type such as used upon motor vehicles and B designates the gas saver attachment for increasing the efflciency of the fuel charge delivered to the engine.

The engine A in the example illustrated is of the type such as employed in connection with motor vehicles and embodies the carburetor 5 having the air'intake 6, the carburetor being connected with the intake manifold 1 serving to deliver the explosive mixture to the cylinders of the engine. Arranged at the forward end of the engine is the cooling fan 8 which is driven by the engine and directs air rearwardly for cooling the engine. Arranged forwardly of the fan 'I is the usual radiator 8' thru which air is drawn by the fan.

Referring now to the device B, the same comprises an air coupling attachment HI including a straight air tube portion II for attachment at one end to the air intake 6, and an elbow portion I! opening at one end into the portion ll intermediate the ends thereof. Mounted upon the outer end of the tube portion H is an air cleaner l3 thru which air may be drawn into the carburetor thru the intake 6. Connected at its rear lower end to the forwardly directed end of the elbow I2 is a preferably flexible, relatively large air conduit or pipe I which extends forwardly and upwardly to a position directly bebind the fan 8. The forward end of the conduit l4 may be secured to the engine by a suitable clamp or bracke't'li. Secured to the forward end of the conduit I4 is a forwardly opening funnel-shaped air collector l8 which is so arranged as to direct the blast of air from the fan 8 into the conduit H where it is conveyed to the air coupling attachment in for mixing with the air from the air cleaner l3 prior to passage into the air intake 6 of the carburetor. Thus it will be seen that during operation of the engine, the fan 8 will cause air to be forced thru the conduit i4 into the air intake of the carburetor, in addition to the air being drawn thru the air cleaner l3 Some of the air forced into the funnel II will be cold while some of the air will be warm and it is desirable to cause a thorough mixing of this air before passage into the air intake 6. For so doing, an air mixer is arranged at the connection between the elbow l2 and the conduit M. This air mixer comprises a disc it having an axial opening aligning with a tubular sleeve is 'projecting from the disc into the elbow I! as clearly shown in Figure 2 and providing an annular air passageway, and the disc II is provided with a number of small air holes 2| arranged co-axially of the sleeve and opening to the annular air passageway 20. Formed on the inside of the sleeve I9 is a plurality of longitudinally extending rooves or channels 22 which extend from the disc ill to a point adjacent the other end of the sleeve and terminate in an annular groove or channel 23 formed inwardly of the sleeve. A screen 24 is disposed over the face of the disc I! for preventing dust from passing to the carburetor and this screen also acts to mix the air passing therethru. By observing the arrows shown in Figure 2 it will be seen that the air fold I and secured by suitable bolts passed through the gasket and flanges. Opening radially into the circular passageway thru the gasket is a moist air inlet 26 which communicates with an air tube 21. The opposite end of the air tube 21 is connected by means of a T coupling 28 with the upper side of the air conduit 14 at a point adjacent to the air mixer whereby a small quantity of air may pass to the intake manifold I.

Mounted at any preferred location, and in the example shown upon the dash board 29, is a water container 3D having a filler opening 3| closed by a vented closure cap 32. Secured to and opening through the top wall of the water container 30, is a suitable coupling 33 to which is connected one end of a suction tube 34 having its opposite endconnected to the coupling 28 whereby communication is had between the water container and the tube 21.

' Thus it will be seen that during operation of the engine A, suction created in the intake manifold I will cause air to be drawn through the air tube 21 from the conduit ll into the intake manifold. This suction createdin the air tube 21 'will create asuction in the suction tube 34 whereby moist air'in the upper portion of the water container II will be drawn into the stream of air being drawn through the tube fl-and pass along with this air into the intake manifold for mixing with the fuel mixture from the carburetor 5. v 7

Dining operationof the engine A, the fan 8 will be rotated and cause air to be driven into the funnel-shaped air collector l6 and forced through the conduit H to the coupling attachment II where it mixes with'and increases the supply of air being drawn through the air cleaner II. At the same time, a suction is created in the air tube 21 and draws a small quantity of air from the air conduit It. The suction in the tube 21 also creates a suctionin the suction tube SI for drawing moist air from 'the container 30 which is introduced into the intake manifold I.

By having a forced supply of air delivered into the air intake of the carburetor, an increased fuel charge will be delivered to the engine cylin- V ders, since the means It, I4, I, etc. will act as a supercharger unit. Byintroducing moist air into the fuel mixture, not only produces a better explosive charge, but also serves to eliminate formaticn of carbon in the engine cylinders.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a novel device for association with internal combustion engines hasbeen provided which will materially increase the operating efllciency of the engine through the provision of means for producing a better explosive mixture for delivery to the engine cylinders.

Changes in detail may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

I claim: y

l. The combination with an internal combustion engine embodying a carburetor having an air intake, and an intake manifold; of means for introducing a forced supply of air into the air intake in addition to the normal passage of air therethru, and means for introducing moist air into the intake manifold by suction created in the intake manifold and having communication with said first mentioned means whereby air is drawn from the forced supply of air into thestream of moist air.

2. The combination with an internal combustion engine having a carburetor provided with an air intake, and an intake manifold; of an air conduit of relatively large capacity for delivering additional air into the air intake, an air tube ofvsmall capacity connecting the conduit .and intake manifold, a; water container, and a suction tube of small capacity connecting the container and said air tube.

3. A fuel saving attachment for internal compling connected with the air intake, an air cleaner for the air coupling and thru which air is drawn into the air intake, an air conduit connected with the air coupling and adapted to deliver a forced air supply .to the coupling, an air' mixer in the'conduit, a small air tube connecting the conduit and intake manifold, and means communicating with the air tubefor supplying moist air to the intake manifold thru suction created in the manifold. v

ROBERT J.- 

